Outlet for sub-floor and concealed installations

ABSTRACT

An outlet box, or member, for use in making connections to wires, or the like, contained in a conduit or tubular element which is encased in building material such as concrete or plaster. The outlet box has an end wall which is placed in juxtaposition to the wall of the conduit prior to the application of the building material. The outlet box has a cylindrical wall extending from the end wall of the outlet box toward the plane of the surface of the building material. An insert smaller in diameter than the cylindrical wall of the outlet box has a peripheral head engaging the inside of the cylindrical wall so the insert can be tilted and positioned in conformity with the plane of the surface of the building material. Adhesive material between the insert and outlet box fixes the insert in adjusted position in the outlet box. The insert includes elements for connection to devices to be connected thereto. The end wall of the outlet box can be pierced for access to the wires, or the like, in said tubular element.

United States Patent 1191 Traupe Oct. 14, 1975 OUTLET FOR SUB-FLOOR AND3,620,404 11/ 1971 Grasso 220/18 CONCEALED INSTALLATIONS [76] Inventor.HanS Martin Traupe, Primary ExaminerBilly S. Taylor .Frenssenstrasse 51,2 Hamburg 55 Attorney, Agent, or FirmWalter Becker Germany 221 Filed:July 9, 1973 [571 ABSTRACT [211 App. No; 377 740 An outlet box, ormember, for use in making connections to wires, or the like, containedin a conduit or tubular element which is encased in building materialForelgn Appllcatlon y Dam such as concrete or plaster. The outlet boxhas an end July 7, 1972 Germany 2233450 wall which is placed injuxtaposition to the wall of the conduit prior to the application of thebuilding mate- [52] US. Cl. 220/3.4; 174/48; 220/3.7; rial. The outletbox has a cylindrical wall extending 220/3.94 from the end wall of theoutlet box toward the plane [51] Int. Cl. H02G 3/08 of the surface ofthe building material. An insert [58] Field of Search 220/3.7, 3.4, 3.3,18, smaller in diameter than the cylindrical wall of the 220/3.94;52/576, 577,220, 21; 174/57, 48, outlet box has a peripheral headengaging the inside of 49; 242/37, 3.4, 3.3 the cylindrical wall so theinsert can be tilted and positioned in conformity'with the plane of thesurface of [56] References Cited the building material; Adhesivematerial between the UNITED STATES PATENTS insert and outlet box-fixesthe insert in adjusted posi- 1,254,641 1/1918 Adam 220/3.7 X in i outlet9 The insert includes elements for 2,811,574 10/1957 Guerrero.... 174/57connecton devces to be Connected thereto- The 3,318,476 5/1967 Clark220/34 end wall of the outlet box can be pierced for access to 3,343,7049/1967 Terry 220 3 7 X g the wires, or the like, in said tubularelement. 3,525,450 8/1970 Payson 220 3.7 3,598,900 8/1971 Drake 174/48 X9 Chums 1 Drawmg Flgure OUTLET FOR SUB-FLOOR AND CONCEALED INSTALLATIONSThe present invention relates to an outlet for subfloor and concealedinstallations, which outlet comprises a tubular hollow body that isclosed during the pouring of the concrete or flooring plaster by astopper which can be removed when the concrete or flooring plaster hashardened. With such an outlet for the subfloor installation, a pipesection forms one piece with the upper wall or cover of the sub-floorpassage. Screwed onto said last mentioned pipe section is a further pipesection of which that end which is remote from the passage is closed bya screw-in stopper. Such an arrangement has the drawback that prior tothe pouring of the concrete or flooring plaster the upper edge of saidfurther pipe section must be adjusted precisely to the height of thefinished concrete or flooring plaster surface, which operation is rathertime consuming. I

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide anoutlet of the above mentioned general type, with which the aligning withregard to the finished concrete or flooring plaster prior to the pouringof the concrete or flooring plaster will not be necessary.

This object and other objects and advantages of the invention willappear more clearly from the following specification, in connection withthe accompanying drawing, illustrating a section of the outlet accordingto the invention.

This object has been realized according to the present invention byhaving a tubular insert insertable into the hollow body, which insertengages the inner side of the hollow body by a bead only.

With the outlet according to the invention, it is no longer necessary toalign the upper edge of the hollow body prior to the pouring of theconcrete or flooring plaster with the finished surface of the pouredconcrete or flooring plaster. It is merely necessary with thearrangement according to the invention that the upper edge does notprotrude beyond the concrete or flooring plaster surface. The aligningis, in conformity with the invention, effected after the concrete orflooring plaster has hardened, by means of the tubular insert. Thistubular insert is inserted into the hollow body and its upper edge caneasily be aligned in the plane of the concrete or flooring plastersurface because the bead by which the insert engages the hollow bodywill, within wide limits, make possible any desired position of the twosubjects relative to each other. After aligning the insert, it is forarresting the same merely necessary to fill the gap between the hollowbody and the insert with an adhesive.

According to a preferred embodiment, an annular element is mountable onthe hollow body by means of a recess provided on its upper end face. Inthis way, the outlet can be adapted without difficulties to any desiredlength. In this connection, it has proved advantageous to provide theannular elements with a corresponding recess in order to be able toconnect a plurality of these elements to each other.

Expediently, the insert has a groove in which a mounting may be placedwhereby the upper end of the insert can easily be adapted to differentrequirements. The mounting may be connected in the groove byprotrusions.

It has also proved highly satisfactory toprovide the hollow body and/orthe annular elements on the outside with protrusions by means of whichthese elements will additionally be anchored in concrete or flooringplaster.

Furthermore, the hollow body may, by means of a an installation havingfeatures in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, a cylindrical hollow element ortubular body 1 is, at its bottom, closed by a wall 2 which can be brokenout and thereby rest against the cover 3 of a sub-floor passage. At thelower end, the hollow element or tubular body 1 has its outside providedwith noses 4 which cooperate with brackets 5 on the cover 3 forconnecting the hollow element or tubular body 1 to the sub-floorpassage. Inserted into a recess 6 at the upper edge of the hollow body 1is an annular element 7 which has its upper end likewise provided witharecess 8 in which, if desired, an additional annular element 7 may bemounted. The ring or annular element 7 may be of different heightwhereby in conformity with the invention the length of the outletconnection can be slightly varied. For a firmer connectionofthehollowelement or tubular body 1 and the ring element 7 in concrete orflooring plaster, protrusions 9, 10 are respectively provided on theoutside thereof.

Inserted into the hollow body 1 or ring element 7 which both have thesame inner diameter there is an insert 11 which, by means of a bead 12,preferably of a circular profile engages in a clamping manner, the innerside of said bead 12. The insert 11 has a groove 14 in which a mount 13with engaging protrusions 17 is mounted. This mounting 13 serves assupport for a closure, for instance, a cover 15 or a nonillustrated tap.The insert 11 rests by means of a bead 12, in other words, along a lineonly against the inner side of the hollow body 1 or ring element 7.Therefore, its upper edge can easily be aligned flush with the finishedconcrete or flooring plaster surface, inasmuch as it, itself, is at willadjustable in a vertical and in a horizontal plane, as indicated in thedrawing by dash lines. After aligning the insert 11, the latter isnon-adjustably fixed by filling with adhesive A the gap 16 which islocated between the insert 11 and the inner side of the hollow body 1 orring element 7.

For purposes of connecting nonillustrated installations, the insert 11is provided with extensions or rib means 18 which have bores 19 andwhich point into the interior of the outlet. It is a matter of coursethat the insert 11 and mounting 13 may be made of a single integratedpiece.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is notlimited to the specific embodiment shown in the drawing, but alsocomprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.Thus, for instance, instead of being mounted on the cover 3 of asub-floor passage, the mount which can by means of the bottom wall 2 bemounted on a ceiling form in order to limit a passage for cables, pipes,or other elements of installation by a ceiling of a building.

What is claimed is:

l. A box member for connection to a tubular body which is to be encasedin floor or wall material such as concrete or plaster; said box memberforming an outlet from said body for wires or the like, said box memberhaving an end wall for engagement with the tubular body and cylindricalside wall means connected to the end wall and extending therefrom towardthe plane of the surface of the material in which the tubular body willbe encased, said side wall means at the end opposite said end wallforming an open end on the box member, and a tubular insert of workmaterial receivable in the open end of said box member and having aradially outwardly projecting peripheral bead of work material on saidinsert below the top of said insert, means forming an annular spacebetween said side wall means of the box member and said tubular insertabove said bead, said tubular insert being smaller in diameter than saidcylindrical side wall means and said bead forming the sole region ofengagement of said tubular insert with said side wall means and saidbead permitting tilting'of the tubular insert in any direction in thebox member.

2. A box member according to claim 1 in which said side wall means has acylindrical recess formed on the inside thereof at the open end of saidbox member, and annular ring means having one end seated in said recess,said ring means conforming to said side wall means in thickness anddiameter and forming side wall means of the box member when mountedthereon.

3. A box member according to claim 2 in which said ring means comprisesat least two rings in telescopically engaged end to end relation.

4. A box member according to claim 1 in which said insert comprisesmeans for detachably receiving a further member which extends away fromsaid insert on the side remote from said end wall of the box member.

5. A box member according to claim 1 in which said insert comprisesaxial apertures therein, a further memher having protrusions receivablein said apertures, said protrusions having offset ends for engaging saidinsert at one axial end of the apertures to hold the further member onthe insert.

6. A box member according to claim 1 in which the side wall means ofsaid box member includes radially outwardly extending protrusion meansfor fixing the box member in the material which encases said tubularbody.

7. A box member according to claim 1 in which said end wall of said boxmember is adapted for being pierced to provide access from the boxmember into said tubular body.

8. A box member according to claim 1 in which said insert comprisesradially inwardly extending rib means to serve for connection of theinsert to a device to be supported thereon.

9. A-box member according to claim 1 which includes adhesive material inbetween means forming said annular space between said side wall means ofthe box member and said tubular insert, said adhesive material beingdisposed between said bead and the open end of the box member, saidadhesive material fixing said tubular insert to said box member.

1. A box member for connection to a tubular body which is to be encased in floor or wall material such as concrete or plaster; said box member forming an outlet from said body for wires or the like, said box member having an end wall for engagement with the tubular body and cylindrical side wall means connected to the end wall and extending therefrom toward the plane of the surface of the material in which the tubular body will be encased, said side wall means at the end opposite said end wall forming an open end on the box member, and a tubular insert of work material receivable in the open end of said box member and having a radially outwardly projecting peripheral bead of work material on said insert below the top of said insert, means forming an annular space between said side wall means of the box member and said tubular insert above said bead, said tubular insert being smaller in diameter than said cylindrical side wall means and said bead forming the sole region of engagement of said tubular insert with said side wall means and said bead permitting tilting of the tubular insert in any direction in the box member.
 2. A box member according to claim 1 in which said side wall means has a cylindrical recess formed on the inside thereof at the open end of said box member, and annular ring means having one end seated in said recess, said ring means conforming to said side wall means in thickness and diameter and forming side wall means of the box member when mounted thereon.
 3. A box member according to claim 2 in which said ring means comprises at least two rings in telescopically engaged end to end relation.
 4. A box member according to claim 1 in which said insert comprises means for detachably receiving a further member which extends away from said insert on the side remote from said end wall of the box member.
 5. A box member according to claim 1 in which said insert comprises axial apertures therein, a further member having protrusions receivable in said apertures, said protrusions having offset ends for engaging said insert at one axial end of the apertures to hold the further member on the insert.
 6. A box member according to claim 1 in which the side wall means of said box member includes radially outwardly extending protrusion means for fixing the box member in the material which encases said tubular body.
 7. A box member according to claim 1 in which said end wall of said box member is adapted for being pierced to provide access from the box member into said tubular body.
 8. A box member according to claim 1 in which said insert comprises radially inwardly extending rib means to serve for connection of the insert to a device to be supported thereon.
 9. A box member according to claim 1 which includes adhesive material in between means forming said annular space between said side wall means of the box member and said tubular insert, said adhesive material being disposed between said bead and the open end of the box member, said adhesive material fixing said tubular insert to said box member. 